My worm food question is similar but slightly different, so I'll add it to this existing thread rather than starting a similar but different one.

My two separate Reds and Night Crawlers worm bins are relatively small and are kept on top of my computer in my office for a little more warmth and hopefully to encourage them to be fruitful and multiply and growing big and ready for outdoor vermicomposting and fishing bait respectively.

What worm foods have you found that are the least likely to cause problems indoors such as fruit flys, undesirable odors, too much food-composting heating, etc. etc.? Inexpensive or free foods are of course desirable, but my worms currently eat so little that I'd like to feed them only things with no risk of causing indoor problems.

Used coffee grounds, for instance, are free. But they look just like worm castings, so I cannot tell whether the coffee grounds are being eaten or not!

Jim

Answer to both is paper egg cartons and coffee trays, paper towel tubes, (the above also tend to make little air spaces for circulation and absorb or release moisture as needed) those free thick cardboard drink coasters, brown grocery bags, corn on the cob fall door decorations. Some expenseive packing peanuts are corn startch and should breakdown in a glass of water in seconds.

I have both of my bins inside and keep a fine nylon sheeting over them. This used to be an ugly sheer window curtain the previous owners had up. I just sewed a little elastic around the edge and it snaps over the bucket (my other bin is a worm inn). All the fruit flys that do hatch are trapped inside.

Well the "lid" and a nice thick layer of shredded newsprint.

Yeah the two things I've found to keep bugs out.

Freeze everything first.
Have a tight seal on the bin. Mesh is the best as they still need to breath.

For smell I find fruits less smelly. For small quantities, apple, pear cores, banana peels etc. are easy. One of the worst I've hit is broccoli, always bury that deep when I add it.

For 'extra' bin material. I put in the plants I prune from my planted aquarium :). Basically most things organic (no meat, dairy etc.) can go in. So coffee+filters, tea bags, bread loaf ends (crumbled and mixed with other stuff)....

Back to the topic I tried to ask before.

What about the non-typical things like clean sawdust or the thread bare jeans I'd throw out.

Considering the Worm Inn type has been done with jeans, I'd say no :).
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/

While organic, you've got to think end product unless you really want to be listing every single thing that's organic. If something takes a LONG time to break down, you'll end up with VC mixed in with whatever stuff you tried (think sawdust laced VC). Lint from the dryer has been discussed, but do you really want to be picking out synthetics lint out of your VC. Pruned plants is about as far as I've strayed from the basics in kitchen garbage.

I would add clean sawdust such as from non pressure treated wood. This would be especially a good addition on the top of other additons to help with fruit flys and to just make the top look nice.

I would add 100% cotton jeans. I have not had the need to due to a very tiny system.

I would not add vacume cleaner bag dust. If I lived with raw wood floors and no polyester items then I would.

Same with dryer. I would only use if all items were cotton and no polyester or static cling softner used.

I would not use human, dog or cat waste because I have enough of a volume of material for my set up and i do not want my hands in it. If I had a huge set up and was using the vermicompost for the lawn or trees then maybe I would.

I do not do junk mail since I do not need it and questionable mix of materials I would need to sort before use.

I would add rock dust if I had some. I would like to get some.

I do add bio char aka chunk wood charcoal. This I endever to crush up fine with out breathing it.

I do add crushed up egg shell that I endever to not breath the dust of.

I have added sheet rock ends and bits to an outdoor compost heap that I then harvested some worms from for my tiny indoor set up.

Coconut shell from green young coconuts for drinking the inside water, I have added a few times through. Then when they have softened I pull off the fibers and add them back into the compost. The 1/8 inch thick shells I guess I could crush and add back.

I have added chared clam shells after crushing them.

I have added charred bones from ribs after crushing them.

I have added clay I harvested myself in tiny tiny bits. I hoped the worms would spread the clay around and break it up. I do not think they did.

I have added clay pot shards from clay I fired myself.

I think a cocoa doormat covering a bin would last for 50 years.

I expect to be adding very old chocolate kisses soon.

Corn cobs broken. It takes a few times through.

Oh here is one I have added: Old kombucha mothers. This is a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) or microbial mat. This would I think be like a treat for the worms.

The compost from Black Soilder Fly Larve (BSFL) should also be just what the worms are looking for if pumpkin or mellon is not available.

I supposed a rusty old nail could be tossed in for iron.

Some people toss in a quarter so they can tell how long it takes their flowthrough vermicompost system to cycle.

I added a biodegradeable chip bag and drink cup. Neither were sucessful. I removed them and tossed them into the garbage.

Any old plant pot dirt.

Finger nail clipping: No, but others may especially if untreated.

Hair human or pet: No, but others may especially if untreated. This takes longer to breakdown than one may expect.

If I had a freshwater fish tank I would add the old water from water changes to the vermicompost.

If I had a hampster I would add the bedding to the vermicompost system.

Did I miss any?

If you are wondering about anything specific ask and I shall answer.

One man's perfect vermicompost item is also something the next man would never use. Your compost you get to do it your way.

I have added dog and cat puke cleaned up with a paper towel (got that idea from the compost forum) I have also added soaked dog and cat food (not too much at a time, it heats up). Old spices from cleaning out the cupboards,stale crackers,pretzels ,cereal,bread. Past due leftovers from the fridge,once an old tuna melt sandwich,which I buried deep and didn't disturb for awhile.A pantyliner ended up in the bin by accident once. I realized it when I was harvesting the vermicompost and came across the plastic liner.(Some people in my house use way too many paper towels, so I am always grabbing them out of the trash can if they are right on top and throw them in the bin. I think that's how the pantyliner found it's way in there.)Peanut shells-they take a long time to disappear.Don't overthink it,if it will break down, try it. If it doesn't disappear, don't add it again. If you are not sure,try a little at a time. I once added way too many old pears and cooked everyone in my bin. It was not a pretty sight or smell. In fact, I took the bin apart, put it away and didn't use it for quite a few years after that. Now I am more careful about how much I put in.